Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos Elected as Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus
OCP News Service – 24/12/2022
Nicosia – Cyprus: Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos was elected as Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus by the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus on December 24, 2022. The election procedure in the holy synod started with the liturgy followed by electing a new archbishop from the Triprosopon. According to the synodal report 11 hierarchs voted for Metropolitan Georgios, 04 hierarchs voted for Metropolitan Athanasios, and 1 blank vote.
Triprosopon that were elected by the people of Cyprus (December 18, 2022) included His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, His Eminence Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos, and His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tamasos & Orini
Synodal Election for Archbishop of Cyprus will be Held on 24 December
Election results were announced at the Cathedral of Agios Ioannis, where the Archbishop-elect signed the decision. Later Archbishop-elect made his first address.
President Nicos Anastasiades of the Republic of Cyprus extended his wishes to the archbishop-elect through telephone conversation.
The elections to the throne of the archbishop of Cyprus started as the throne became vacant due to the demise of His Beatitude Chrysostomos II.
Brief Bio of Metropolitan Georgios of Paphos
Archbishop-elect was born in Athionou on May 25, 1949. In 1967, he graduated from the Pancyprian High School. I.K.Y. scholarship holder studied Chemistry at the University of Athens (1968 -1972). In the same University he also studied Theology during the years 1976-1980. He was re-educated in England in Chemistry and Theology.
On December 23, 1984, he was ordained a Deacon by the Bishop of Salamis, Varnavas, and on March 17, 1985, he was ordained an Elder and was ordained an Archimandrite by the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos I. In 1994 he assumed the duties of Secretary of the Holy Synod.
In parallel to his above duties, he also worked as a Chemistry teacher in Secondary Schools. In 1993 he was promoted to Assistant Director.
On the occasion of his arrest and abuse by Turkish troops during an anti-occupation demonstration, in 1989, he filed an appeal against Turkey to the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe, by its decision number 507/3.2.94, condemned, for the first time, Turkey for violating human rights in Cyprus and imposed a monetary fine on it.
On April 24, 1996, he was elected by the Holy Synod as Bishop of Arsinois and on May 26, 1996, he was ordained as a Bishop. On December 29, 2006, he was unanimously elected by the previously convened electoral assembly as the Metropolitan of Paphos and the following day he was installed in his seat.
He represents the Church of Cyprus in the Pan-Orthodox Conferences and in the Dialogue with the Roman Catholics. He is also the president of the Bioethics and Education committees of the Holy Synod.
Source:
OCP News Service
